Healthy Heart

"According to the American Heart Association, about 785,000 Americans have an initial heart attack and another 470,000 have a recurrent heart attack each year." -Centers for Disease Control

It takes years and habits to clog your arteries but it takes only minutes for death to occur from it. Yes, I'm talking about taking care of yourself. Health is one of the Six Spokes we have in life that has to have attention paid to it.

The symptoms of Coronary Heart Disease occur when a substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart (called coronary arteries). Plaque is made up of cholesterol deposits, which can accumulate in your arteries. When this happens, your arteries can narrow over time.

Plaque buildup can cause angina, the most common symptom of CAD. This condition causes chest pain or discomfort because the heart muscle doesn't get enough blood. Over time, CAD can weaken the heart muscle. This may lead to heart failure, a serious condition where the heart can't pump blood the way that it should. An irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, can also develop.

It can get ugly, it can make your life miserable, it can make your life go away. Pay attention to your health, pay attention to your heart. The picture above might make your stomach turn a little bit. But that is what can happen inside the myriad of arteries and veins that traverse our body.

When the big ones near your heart get clogged, the heart weakens and as the heart goes, so goes the rest of the body. I have seen it first hand in watching my father battle it and win. I have seen it first hand through losing a brother to it.

Do I stand here and implore you to pay attention to your heart health? Does it sound like I'm harping upon you to do so? Do I watch my own heart health?

YES - YES - YES

Stay around for a while, don't let yourself fall to a preventable disease. I'll pester you from time to time and by all means feel free to pester me about it.